Cholesterol– Good or Bad? LDL or HDL?
Cholesterol is our best friend…
There have been many misconceptions concerning cholesterol and its effect to our body especially when it comes to the consumption of animal products including meat and their correlation with heart disease. The truth is that cholesterol is our best friend. It is vital for the function of the nervous system and the integrity of the digestive tract. Steroid hormones that help the body deal with stress are made from cholesterol. Sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone are made from cholesterol.
Bile salts that the body uses to digest fats are made from cholesterol. Vitamin D, needed for thousands of biochemical processes, is made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is also a powerful antioxidant that protects us against cancer. It is vital to the cells because it provides waterproofing and structural integrity. And, finally, cholesterol is the body’s repair substance. When our arteries are weak and develop fissures or tears, cholesterol is sequestered and used for repair.
When cholesterol levels in the blood are HIGH, it is because the body needs MORE cholesterol (westonaprice.org). It is important to remember that the risk of high total cholesterol may not necessarily be greater than the risk of very low total cholesterol.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of lipid, an organic molecule which is an essential structural component of cell membranes. Therefore, it is found in all the cells in our body. We all need some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and other substances that help us digest food. All the cholesterol we need is made by our body. The question is that since cholesterol is a lipid and hence hydrophobic, how can it be transported in the blood? Well, it travels by specialized proteins called “lipoproteins” made by the liver that surround fat and allow them to move in the bloodstream. There are two types of lipoproteins which carry cholesterol throughout the body:
HDL (high-density lipoprotein)
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or “good” cholesterol, absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver. The liver then flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL cholesterol can lower the risk for heart disease and stroke. Research has shown that lower HDL cholesterol levels were associated with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes. However, there was also a higher risk of death from cancer and other causes compared with those having average levels of HDL cholesterol.
LDL (low-density lipoprotein)
- LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad” cholesterol, makes up most of our body’s cholesterol. It builds up in the walls of the arteries, making them hard and narrow. High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk for heart disease and stroke. When our body has too much low-density lipoprotein, it can build up on the walls of our blood vessels. This buildup is called “plaque.” As our blood vessels build up plaque over time, the insides of the vessels narrow. This narrowing, blocks blood flow to and from the heart and other organs. When blood flow to the heart is blocked, it can consequently cause angina (chest pain) or a heart attack.
High Cholesterol Facts
Having high total blood cholesterol raises the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death, and for stroke, the fifth leading cause of death. High total cholesterol (≥ 240 mg/dL) and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (< 40 mg/dL) levels are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
- In 2015–2016, more than 12% of adults age 20 and older had total cholesterol higher than 240 mg/dL, and more than 18% had high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol levels less than 40 mg/dL.
- Slightly more than half of the U.S. adults (55%, or 43 million) who could benefit from cholesterol medicine are currently taking it.
- 93 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have total cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL. Nearly 29 million adult Americans have total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL.
- 7% of U.S. children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 have high total cholesterol.
Symptoms and Testing
High cholesterol has no symptoms, so many people don’t know that their cholesterol is too high. A simple blood test can check cholesterol levels. It is called a “lipid panel” or “lipid profile” which usually reports total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein. A lipid profile also typically measures triglycerides, another type of lipid in the blood, which is completely different than cholesterol and has to be considered separately.
Contributing Factors
There are many factors that can contribute to higher LDL including:
Poor diet:
- Saturated fat, found in some animal products, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods can raise LDL level more than anything else. These foods also include tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils. Trans fat, found mostly in foods made with hydrogenated oils and fats, such as stick margarine, commercially baked cookies and crackers, microwave popcorn, and french fries, can raise your LDL and lower your HDL level.
Obesity:
- Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
Lack of exercise:
- Exercise helps boost your body’s HDL cholesterol while increasing the size of the particles that make up your LDL cholesterol, making the LDL less harmful.
Smoking:
- Smoking damages the walls of your blood vessels, making them more prone to accumulating fatty deposits. Smoking might also lower your level of high-density lipoprotein, or “good,” cholesterol
Age:
- Because your body’s chemistry changes as you age, the risk of high cholesterol climbs. For instance, as you age, the liver becomes less able to remove low-density lipoprotein.
Diabetes:
- High blood sugar contributes to higher levels of a dangerous cholesterol called very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and lower HDL cholesterol. High blood sugar also damages the lining of your arteries.
Medicines:
- Certain medicines, including steroids, some blood pressure medicines, and HIV/AIDS medicines, can raise your LDL level.
How can you lower your LDL Level?
Generally speaking, heart-healthy lifestyle changes include healthy eating, weight management, and regular physical activity can lower your LDL level. Healthy eating diet recommendations include:
- Emphasize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.
- Instead of butter, cook with olive, canola, corn, or safflower oils.
- Beans are great in soups, salads, and over rice.
- Nuts liven up salads, stir-fried meals, and vegetables.
- Eggs make great dinners, as omelets and frittatas.
- Mushrooms add a meaty texture to sauces, casseroles, and stroganoffs.
- Eat more fish, especially fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, including herring, sardines, salmon, tuna, trout, and mackerel.
